Rampart Caucus

If you’re an American fed up with the non-sense radiating from Washington D.C. then please listen.

First, let me say.

You’re not alone. You are not alone >

In fact, you are in a super majority of American people who either never joined a political party, joined then quit, or are registered to vote under a party label and now say, “my party no longer speaks for me”. Sound familiar? You may even be one of the tens of millions of Americans who choose not to Vote.

Nearly everyone agrees that Congress is nonresponsive. Whether by design or happenstance, political leadership seems content to be stuck in the 20th Century. It’s like they think we’re not watching and we don’t see everything that’s really going on.

I believe that there’s a way for Us to make Congress more responsive without changing the system.

Currently, major party leadership in Congress controls the agenda and the narrative to benefit private and political interests over the will of the people. Just two people have the final word and dictate the Congressional calendar. Most Congress People are helpless to do anything other than comply and side with the party that sent them to Congress. That’s what most of them do, with occasional actions and regular fist shaking.

The difference between recent Congressional membership and membership in past Congresses is the absence of Moderate Republican and Democratic members. Once numbering hundreds, there are now just a handful.

There are Americans right this minute who want to Run for Congress and humbly serve our interests as part of a Moderate red and blue caucus who can influence and possibly control the agenda over party leadership and who will moderate discussions that focus on policies that promote equality of opportunity and economic certainty.

They’re discouraged by the fact that less than 10% of American Voters turnout at Primary elections. Partisan voters who nominate the most partisan candidates. When the rest of us show up in November, most elections are already decided and we send the most partisan candidates to Congress. We lose.

Winning numbers are on our side. 235 Million Americans are eligible to vote. If the normal 65% turnout of General elections occurred at Primaries, we win. That’s it.

Americans who want to Run for Congress need to know whether more of Us than usual will turnout and Vote in the 2022 Primary elections. In turn, we need to know whether they are likely to represent Us.

Let’s listen to them and share what we learn.

Affordable Priorities

Let’s nominate red and blue candidates from the Primaries who are most likely to represent the “affordable priorities” of most Americans. Championing American values on a Budget! What a novel concept.

Let’s do this in 2022 and see how it works. There only seems to be an upside for We The People.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rampartcaucus.substack.com

Our individual sense that My Vote Matters and will cause a meaningful outcome is all each of us want. That has eroded for decades and may never have existed for young voters. Our vote has been relegated to dutifully selecting one of two candidates by party label. Little more.

For our entire lives we’ve relied on the messages of each major Party to translate to policy that works in the interest of the American people. The competing party platforms are summarized by the size of government being reflective of our compassion for people versus a smaller government that is more fiscally responsible and allows people to self-determine.

It’s obvious to all of us that the government is the largest one in history, assimilates every tax dollar and there are 43 million Americans living in poverty. That’s where we are terminally stuck, 21 years into the 21st Century.

We see that each of the messages that we’ve voted for our entire lives have fallen woefully short. Without meaningful outcomes American votes have lost value to most Americans.

This is where I am on my American journey. If you’re like me, then you’re fed up and just want more common-sense and humility in Congress to represent the affordable priorities of most Americans. Most of us like a little from each side, embrace the same American values and want the same equality of opportunity that cohesive policy and economic certainty can promote.

No one represents American interests over political interests in Congress. Not even your Congressperson or Senator. They’re seemingly incapable and despite good intentions and modest actions are trapped by the system. The Congressional agenda is controlled by one person in both chambers, the respective majority leaders, and focuses entirely on supporting political interest and majority control of the chambers. The will of most American people rarely, if ever influences agenda or policy.

Make “My Vote Matter” by Considering Candidates Who Are Likely to be Representative of Most Americans

Anticipate the Potential of a Coalition of Red & Blue Moderates, Who Can Control Congressional Agenda to Protect the Affordable Priorities of Most Americans

Making “My Vote Matter” could be as basic as voting for a Congressional candidate who is likely to caucus as a red or blue moderate, in order to positively influence control of the agenda over the majority leader in each chamber. Voters would need to anticipate that other voters are of a like mind, know the rules for participating in their State’s Primary election, then just as important to the process, a candidate would be encouraged to run by anticipating that voters would turnout motivated to nominate a more representative candidate for the November 8th election.

Matthew Yglesias and Steven Teles, in a recent The Atlantic article, A Moderate Proposal make a case for a coalition of red and blue Congressmembers who could control the agenda and move the Senate forward. They appropriately call the group a “Fulcrum”.

Lee Drutman says in “Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop: The Case for Multiparty Democracy in America” that Congress was more responsive before the Civil Rights Bill of 1965 because of a Moderate red and blue membership that he calls “Shadow Parties”. The Republican and Democratic Parties as four parties. The shadow parties were red or blue moderates who identified with their party and who also considered the interests of their constituency. They moderated the debate. (Mr. Drutman hasn’t endorsed this solution. He is more in favor of Proportional Representation)

Joseph Manchin and Kirsten Sinema, Moderate Democratic Senators, became pivotal (a fulcrum) recently. Their pushback was disruptive to bills from the Democratic Party. Their positions forced the two sides to have conversations that would’ve never occurred otherwise. It was not surprising that they were characterized through social media and corporate news as being extremists for their center position.

Congressional Midterm Primaries are Low Turnout & Vulnerable to a Well-Executed Plan by Informed Voters!

A Plan to Influence Control of 118th Congressional Agenda over Chamber Majority Leaders by two well-organized red & blue groups of Congress people.

The 118th Congress, with more moderate Republican and Democratic Congressmembers could work together to control the agenda that will focus on the interests of Americans, instead of the nonstop politically oriented schedule and policies that favor the consortium of wealthy election donors that each chamber leader overtly serves at the expense of the American people.

Rampart Caucus is an idea for sharing information that will inform and empower people like us to Vote in the 2022 Primaries to nominate humility and common-sense to the November 8, 2022 General Election for the 118th Congress. Red or Blue candidates who will also consider the interests of their constituency.

Giving my single vote meaning and value and making it matter can only be achieved by giving like-minded people HOPE that we’ll all turnout at the next election and consider candidates who will most likely represent the affordable priorities of most Americans.

Submitted Humbly for My Kids, Randell S. Hynes, Twitter @RandellHynes

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What Each American Voter Should Know Before the 2022 Primary Elections

* Major party doesn’t mean majority.

* Majority control of a chamber of Congress doesn’t mean that Party represents a majority of Americans.

* You’re not alone. Half of eligible Voters are not affiliated with a major Party.

* Is the Primary Election in my State called Open or Closed?

* Primary Elections to nominate a Party candidate are open to every American who updates their registration label. It’s a label, not a pledge.

* Closed doesn’t mean Prohibited.

* Party is just a label. How do I change my label if I’m in a “Closed” Primary State?

* My Primary Election location, time, procedure.

* Primary Election rules and procedures for My State.

* We can only vote in one Party Primary.

* More about each Candidate.

* You can Run for Congress by following your States filing rules. Here in Nevada the filing fee is $300. You must be registered in the desired Party before 12/31/21. Filing is in early March 2022. Other States have different rules.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rampartcaucus.substack.com

Congress is unresponsive.

An overwhelming majority of Americans no longer have confidence in that institution to represent the will of the American people and feel helpless to do anything about it. States and the people are promised a Republic that at minimum should give us good faith representation. People, especially in underserved communities feel the impact and betrayal of a government that we all enrich, expecting to see problems cured. We send more money to the US Government than any people in human history. Those dollars are assimilated into a giant government monolith that only grows larger, and never smaller or more efficient. Then, Trillions more dollars are borrowed by Congress, indebting future generations, future families, as casually as dropping gum on the grocery counter.

Rampart Caucus is a national campaign in the planning stages to identify the most moderate red or blue candidates in each 2022 Congressional open Primary.

Governors can be instrumental in identifying Congressional candidates from their States who will be Champions in a moderate Caucus that represents their party message first with an additional commitment to the will of the American people.

Admitting humbly that each party doesn’t truly represent the will of most people is the first step to move forward here.

This is an appeal to you and fellow Governors to lead a campaign in your State to find Champions. Party candidates who would go to Congress and push back against the status quo, consider the will of the American people and moderate policy making to better represent the “affordable priorities” of most Americans. Nothing more.

This is a centuries-old concern that has only tightened its grip on Congress, tighter and tighter as tax revenues doubled each decade since 1930 (sans 2010). The $4 Trillion a year that Americans send to the IRS and unquestionable authority to borrow has become the jackpot that grips Congress and creates an institution where honest people can no longer be honest, who are each trapped in two partisan caucuses, controlled by party Congressional leadership, and incapable of representing a broad constituency, or even offer good faith representation of most Americans.

It’s unfortunate that the following century old words are still relevant.

“Behind the ostensible government sits enthroned an invisible government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people. To destroy this invisible government, to befoul the unholy alliance between corrupt business and corrupt politics is the first task of the statesmanship of the day.” -Theodore Roosevelt, Bull Moose Party Convention, 1912

A new party is not the answer.

Our political parties represent only a slightly different notion about whether the size of government either says how much we care about our people, or whether the size of government is an impediment to individual liberty and progress. Yet, we’ve been led to believe that our side is the only way and the other side of Americans is evil.

People are fed up.

Rampart Caucus Corporation is a Nevada nonprofit formed for the purpose of educating people about the promises versus reality of political parties and to offer a way forward to Americans who feel helpless and want to be heard.

Now, mere months away from the first Congressional Primaries of the 118th United States Congress, I believe there is a path forward without changing the system. Americans only need to consider whether their party’s candidate will go to Congress to represent the people, or if they will go there and only parrot party narrative and vote party line. A vote which is rarely, if ever, a vote that considers the will of the people. Primaries are traditionally low turnout, partisan, unenthusiastic elections where a party candidate peacocks away from the center.

This is the path forward.

Let’s identify Champions in each open Party Primary in 2022 to send the most electable candidate who is most likely to represent the will of the American people to the general election.

As Governor, if you have any influence to make your State’s primaries open, then your residents deserve that option.

There’s no time to change the laws of the election system that have been prescribed to us after centuries of law making to keep out competition from third parties and strengthen party positions. Let’s instead leverage the vulnerabilities of that system to send hope to Congress.

Rampart Caucus doesn’t claim to be the only organization capable of promoting this effort. It is the only known effort of its kind. Any effort to build a Caucus by any name, from any campaign that represents moderation is the only way forward, for 2022. Any campaign like this will give Americans hope, inspire us to consider innovation, provide a vision of the way things could be and enthusiasm that gives all Americans trust that their vote matters.

Rampart Caucus will continue into 2024 with hopes of building an even more formidable caucus and trust that a true leader will emerge to further the cause of returning a Republic to States and at the very least, good faith and accountable representation to the people.

Governors, there must be people in your State who are willing to first represent their party, then secondly, stand up to the consortium of donors that grip Congress. Maybe your incumbents are your best people and they just need something new to rally behind and support of fellow Congress people who believe the same. These century old words of President Theodore Roosevelt, when campaigning for change, that characterizes a new party. The words fit very well to embody the challenges of building a new moderate Caucus. “Unhampered by tradition, uncorrupted by power, undismayed by the magnitude of the task, the new ‘party’ [caucus] offers itself as the instrument of the people, to sweep away old abuses, to build a new and nobler government.”

Support Rampart Caucus in this national effort, or create your own campaign.

Ladies and Gentlemen Governors, this isn’t a Shark Tank presentation where I’m confronted by Mark Cuban with the question, “What’s to stop me from just going out and doing this on my own.” My answer to that is, feel free, Mr. Cuban. We have history to make here and a government to save that can serve its people on the meager [sic] $4 Trillion we send now.

Our children and future generations deserve better. We don’t have to settle for exactly nothing we’re getting now.

With respect,Randell S. Hynes

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rampartcaucus.substack.com

Is there anyone of us who doesn’t see that Congress has become unresponsive, either by unfortunate happenstance or by strategic design? Regardless of how or why it happened, the people who operate Congress have failed the American people by using the red or blue cloaks we sewed for them to declare their side the only way forward and the other side evil. An on-going concerted effort to divide the country by pitting Americans against Americans in order to maintain control and enrich themselves and a consortium of donors. Enough of us believe that it’s only us versus them and that the solution is a stronger majority for our side to set things right. Not only do we tolerate it, we buy into the misguided concept that party labels transcend American values.

I’m here to tell you in the most grammatically incorrect way possible,

Y’all, it just ain’t so…

American values are the foundation of America. We each hold our heads high and call ourselves Americans because we believe in the values that we’re so eloquently stated in the Declaration of Independence and after fifteen years of debate in the Continental Congress enshrined in the US Constitution, and later made better with much needed amendments. This is where we find ourselves today. American values without American Champions to defend them.

* We never asked the party affiliation of the nearly 3,000 Americans who died on this solemn day in 2001. “Let’s Roll”, was a rally for all Americans on Flight 93.

* We haven’t wondered whether the thousands of soldiers who died fighting the war on terror were red or blue voters.

* We don’t watch a professional sports event and hope the team with the most red or blue party members wins.

* When 13 troops died in Afghanistan to rescue hundreds of Americans, no one said, we should rescue just the ones from the party that I associate with. Or, ever wondered about the way those fallen heroes voted.

* A Twitter message from Mercedes Martinez struck me yesterday as an embodiment of American values that transcend parties, “Did my dad help you on September 11, 2001?”. An account of her Father’s ingenuity to get home that day and take seven new friends grounded in Omaha to their Denver homes.

Congress people from both parties have at some point declared their candidacy under a party label that claims to represent American values.

Americans go to the polls, either associated with a party label, or leaning one way or the other. Sometimes, not really knowing the reason why. Often clinging to one of two slightly different ideals for how the Federal Government should govern.

What are the differences? One party claims that all Americans deserve a government that will provide services to citizens and that government size simply reflects how much we care about our people. The other party claims that the government should be smaller, services limited to the most needy and that individuals should seek their own happiness with limited government interference.

Each party faithful hangs their hat on these two opposing messages that each claim to be the way to uphold American values hinged on the size of government.

Reality reveals that both messages have failed horribly, yet both parties continue to claim to be the only solution to govern America. A country with 43 million people living below the poverty line does not have a government that serves the people. The US Government is the largest in human history, so the message to limit government has become likewise the largest failure in human history.

Blaming the other side is the next step. Both sides say the other side is blocking progress. The left says the right is uncaring (to state it mildly) and doesn’t care about the people. Yet the government continues to grow larger, borrow more money and poverty continues to grow with the population and ungoverned immigration. The right says the left is dragging the government further left toward a model that has proven to be appealing to younger generations, yet has failed and caused immeasurable human misery. Good people doing horrible things in the name of the common good.

It’s uncertain when things started to become so wrong. It is certain, beyond a shadow of a doubt to most Americans, that we’ve reached an impasse and that Congress will not fix Congress. Only the American people can fix Congress at the ballot box. The parties have made it virtually impossible for a third party to compete and aren’t likely, after centuries of fine tuned law making to keep out competition and improve their party’s majority, to do anything that is against their party’s best interest.

Party Primaries are open in most States. There is typically a very low turnout of the most partisan voters, voting for candidates moving away from the center to appeal to those few voters. Many, many party affiliated voters say their party now no longer speaks for them. These disaffected voters and independents can join together to send moderate party candidates to the general election in 2022 by spiking a high turnout at open Primaries. These Champions of American values that we send to Congress can caucus regardless of party to protect American values. Their moderation is what will move policy forward, not as an opposing force, rather as a voice of reason and common-sense that most Americans crave and good faith representation that we deserve.

The affordable priorities of most Americans that these Champions could commit to should be socialized and documented to establish a standard for American voters to understand and embrace, as well as a standard to hold all Congress people accountable when they each ask to serve us again.

It seems the first order of business for moderate Champions should be to rebuild the Federal Budget to more efficiently spend the nearly $4 Trillion that we send the IRS. An amount of tax revenue that typically doubles every decade. An innovative budget could be the foundation for truly serving Americans and investing in children and underserved communities. If a pathway to future opportunities is available to all Americans without regard to who your parents are or what neighborhood you reside, then that is a true representation of American values. And a good start to curing root problems, rather than focusing on treating symptoms that has long dominated policy making efforts. Congress people will be able to consider innovation instead of nothing in today’s hobbled Congress.

An article that more eloquently outlines American Values: American values are still important. They should transcend political loyalties by Lynn Evans for Common Cause

Notable Quotes by Lynn Evans:

“Democracy, government accountability, the rights of the individual — including the right to criticize elected officials and sue for redress — and the equality of all people before the law. And they saw the press as the essential ally, not the enemy, of the people.”

“A few things should remain true for all of us: a respect for the dignity of every human being, a shared sense of responsibility to one another, a firm conviction that absolutely no one is above the law and a love of country that rests first on the values laid out in our nation’s founding documents. These loyalties should be stronger than any attachment to political party, philosophical beliefs or any elected officials.”

Rampart Caucus is a start point with focused ideas about where to start and the path forward.

Red, Blue or other, come as you are! Keep your party ideals. All Americans just want to know before we vote if a candidate is committed to the will of the American people.

It’s that simple.

We’ll socialize and document what that commitment should look like in The Real American Majority Platform. RAMP will set a nonpartisan standard for electing Congress people regardless of red, blue or minor party affiliation. Party ideals do not transcend or fully support American values. The will of the American people must be considered in addition to party ideals.RAMP Declaration—Americans shall elect Congress people who first commit to a platform representing the affordable priorities of most Americans.

Rampart Caucus Creed—Coalesce to end this mess, with a message of Hope, Inspiration, Vision of what could be and Enthusiasm to succeed.

Candidates who formally endorse RAMP are the Rampart Caucus.Send Congress people with common-sense and humility to represent most Americans and neutralize party gridlock.Let's use the power of the Internet as a Free & Open forum to gift our children a representative democracy.

Rampart Caucus is a Nevada nonprofit incorporated for this Purpose >

Randell S. Hynes is a Senior Cloud Programmer, Father, Husband, Army Veteran with a lifetime of problem solving, advocacy experiences and failures fighting overwhelming odds. About Me > LinkedIn >

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rampartcaucus.substack.com

Let’s start by stating some truths. Or, go straight to Rampart Caucus is a start point… below if you already know the truth and want to see the path forward.

First, this campaign doesn’t want your money. It’s a proposal for Americans to teach each other a natural way for considering who we vote to send to Congress. We’ll use the Internet available to us and share ideas. I’m just getting the process started. My expertise is cloud programming, which requires daily trial and error problem solving. I’m used to making a hundred mistakes a day, I will listen intently and will be the first to admit I’m wrong.

American values transcend party labels. That’s why hundreds of bridging organizations and civic responsibility projects that bring Americans together to talk humbly brag that red and blue Americans continually find common ground in conversations about politics. It’s true.

Parties are ingrained in American society. Americans only know a system where two parties compete with opposite promises. Parties are here to stay. Americans who associate strongly with a party will continue to vote by a red or blue label.

Most Americans believe that Congress is no longer working for the us. Congress people are incapable of considering even basic ideas when innovative cures to root problems is what’s needed to move the country forward. Whether by design or unfortunate happenstance, this is where we find ourselves.

We send $4 Trillion a year that’s already budgeted, then react to borrowing Trillions more in line with our party preference.

We vote red or blue because of idealistic promises about the size of government and whether the government will take care of us or the government says we should take care of ourselves. That’s about it, or at least that’s about all we hear. The reality of 43 million Americans living below the poverty line in a country with the largest government in human history mocks those ideals.

Party faithful cling to a Vegas-like mentality, “If only we can get a big majority, we can make things better.” In Vegas, the casino always wins with “if I can only get back to even” and “now I’m playing with house money”. All perpetuates losing in the end.

We can’t defeat a rich and powerful system. Agreed. After centuries of fine-tuning the way we vote, the system is a virtual fortress against competition. So, how do we penetrate the system? We don’t have to defeat the system. The American people aren’t in the fortress, we’re all out here living our best lives, doing the best that we can for our family and community.

Most Americans are restless but don’t know where to start, or what to do. Some of us say our party no longer speaks for me, we’re not associated with a party, not sure what the parties stand for, have adopted the party of our parent, been indoctrinated at school or identify with a party out of sense of community. Or, we’re simply fed up!

Americans need to learn that there is something else to consider in addition to their ingrained party position or party leaning. The party messages have failed to yield the promised results, but there’s still merit in a Congress that has those contrasting views. We just need Congress people there who will protect the will of the people instead of fist shaking warm bodies that fill the seats in each chamber of Congress now, voting party line without consideration of the priorities of most Americans and only focus on fixing symptoms instead of curing problems.

Rampart Caucus is a start point with focused ideas about where to start and the path forward.

Red, Blue or other, come as you are! Keep your party ideals. All Americans just want to know before we vote if a candidate is ALSO committed to the will of the American people.

It’s that simple.

We’ll define what that commitment looks like here. The Real American Majority Platform—RAMP will set a nonpartisan standard for electing Congress people regardless of red, blue or minor party affiliation. RAMP Declaration—Americans shall elect Congress people who first commit to a platform representing the affordable priorities of most Americans.

Rampart Caucus Creed—Coalesce to end this mess, with a message of Hope, Inspiration, Vision of what could be and Enthusiasm to succeed.

Candidates who formally endorse RAMP are the Rampart Caucus.We’ll send the Rampart Caucus, the Congress people with common-sense and humility to represent most Americans and neutralize party gridlock.Let's use the power of the Internet as a Free & Open forum to gift our children a representative democracy.

Rampart Caucus is a Nevada nonprofit incorporated for this Purpose >

Randell S. Hynes is a Senior Cloud Programmer, Father, Husband, Army Veteran with a lifetime of problem solving, advocacy experiences and failures fighting overwhelming odds. About Me > LinkedIn >

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rampartcaucus.substack.com

American voters can overwhelm primaries to send the least partisan candidate to the general election. Let’s consider Flash Voting, something like a choreographed Flash Mob.

Low turnout at primaries and candidates appealing to more partisan voters sends a more partisan candidate to each general election. Primaries are most often said to be the primary cause of polarization in Congress. Any candidate who pledges to support the Real American Majority Platform—RAMP, prioritizing the affordable priorities of most Americans could appeal to and attract fed up party affiliates and in most States unaffiliated/independent voters. By focusing on primaries American voters could nominate a general election candidate more likely to represent most Americans.

Rules to vote in Primaries vary by State. After researching the rules in detail for States with Congressional elections scheduled in 2022 and 2024 I’ll publish another article and link it here. Overview of State Primary Rules

Most States have primary rules that allow voters to participate in just one primary or the other.

The goal is to send red or blue candidates to Congress who pledge to support the priorities of RAMP, not instead of their party’s platform, but in addition to their party’s message. Improving the odds of electing a candidate with influence to protect the interest of most Americans in Congress. To win elections within a system that has been designed to favor the controlling parties, a central RAMP campaign should be designed to promote State campaigns that obtain RAMP Pledges and drum up enthusiasm for a representative candidate that will increase turnout by fed up party affiliates and independents.

It’s a fact that Primaries historically have very low turnout. And candidates tend to appeal to the extremes of their party. This makes them very vulnerable to the higher turnout mentioned and creates a huge contrast to a RAMP pledged candidate, especially one affiliated with the party.

Perhaps a unique process akin to a Flash Mob will work. The recently popular event where thousands of people gather in a public area and mill about. A few people start dancing while a few watch. Those folks start dancing and before long the entire crowd starts dancing in a choreographed event that was staged weeks in advance.

Flash Voting to overwhelm a primary and takeover the nomination with a candidate that may have secretly pledged to RAMP or not announced their pledge until election day. Voters could organize according to the primary rules of their State and one by one each take back Congressional seats occupied by partisan incumbents. Or maybe the incumbent can be persuaded to support RAMP.

The vulnerability exists and could be choreographed to make this plan work.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rampartcaucus.substack.com

America’s ONLY problem is that Congress is incapable by design.

Before the 2022 midterm elections all Americans should know that the only goal of the political party corporations (literally private businesses) is to limit competition by saying they stand for either big or smaller government.

Red, Blue or other, come as you are!

At the ballot box we select Congress people by a red or blue label based on an ambiguous standard from each party claiming to stand for either more or less government & taxes and to be “for families”, in contrast to “fiscally responsible” pro individual freedoms.

Does that sum it up?

The reality of those messages doesn’t equal success.

* 43+ Million Americans impoverished.

* Millions of kids every night go to bed hungry.

* Largest government in human history.

* Largest tax revenue & budget in human history.

* $28 Trillion borrowed from our future families.

These are the exact problems that each party claims are their top priorities. The only result that aligns with a party standard is bigger government, yet with poverty never dropping below 11% in most of our lifetimes, more doesn’t equal better.

Congress is working just the way the party corporations have designed it, hoping that the system they’ve created will keep out competition and that most of Americans will continue to pretend that the party label they choose makes a difference. “If only my party can get a larger majority. Then everything will get better.”

Congress will ONLY become responsive and capable of considering basic ideas once we establish a nonpartisan platform outlining the “Affordable Priorities” of most Americans. Congressional candidates from any party can pledge to commit to the platform.

American values transcend party labels. By starting with a couple of foundational priorities like rebuilding the federal budget to be more efficient and geared toward curing generational problems like poverty, opportunities through transitional training and an investment in our children.

Rampart Caucus will publish ideas to consider other popular policy issues and ideas. We’ll socialize them as a Vision of the way things could be.

There is already a long list of root problems Congress has been incapable of addressing, and problems that Congress has caused from irresponsibility and political actions.

When Americans go to the polls to select our Congress people, we’ll each know which candidates support a platform that represents the will of the American people, and improved equality for all.

Once we’ve agreed on a path forward based on the platform, then Congress can coalesce to the center and hash out how to move forward.

Do we really have a choice?

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rampartcaucus.substack.com

[Text updated 9/3/2021]

Lists are my favorite way to think through complex issues, share facts, obvious truths and to make suggestions.

I’d love your advice to learn where I’m wrong. I’m always the first to say that I made a mistake and will listen to or read your opinion.

This list seems solid to me, here goes:

* It's clear that America has reached an impasse that requires a collective nationwide campaign to overcome.

* Congress is not working for the American people and is blocking progress. 

* The two party system is a 19th century invention that is most often said to be the problem. It's merely a means to a logic-defying end.

* The problem is that the two-party system has been used as a tool to devolve the Congressional chambers into a noisy, high-profile hive of self-professed do-gooders who do no good. Those prestigious rooms were once filled with ingenious humble freethinkers who represented the will of the people—American values. They are now seats filled with fist shaking warm bodies that each represent mocking and opposing ideals about the size of government.

* For a period of time after the Korean War in the 1950s, when the downward spiral in Congress began, moderation was maintained by Congress People from each party who were mindful of a constituency who held onto American values as the standard for making policy decisions and setting priorities. 

* How has Congress devolved to a non-responsive institution, and how do we return to the times when moderation and true representation existed? At the very least when Congress seemed to progress frustratingly slow.

* American People have only had a red or blue choice at the ballot box for two centuries.

* The red or blue candidates are selected by a party controlled nomination process—Primaries.

* Laws written by the parties while in power have allowed districts to be drawn that favored one party over the other.

* The result of these factors is that fewer and fewer people have control over who we can vote for in a general election, and from those selected candidates, we choose a red or blue label.

* Any election can only result in either the red or blue party having more seats in each chamber of Congress.

* This doesn't match up with the true association with parties.

* Half of American voters are not associated with a red or blue label. 

* The half of American voters associated with a party are split near even. Meaning 25% red and 25% blue. Not a majority.

* Many of those affiliated voters have expressed discontent with lack of choices, feel disaffected and say their "party no longer speaks for" them.

* Some voters are merely affiliated out of habit, tradition, sense of community or perhaps adopted from parents.

* Black Americans associate strongly with the Democratic Party from a sense of community. 

* Unaffiliated and disaffected voters are the clear majority of Americans.

* The counter intuitive misalignment of the red or blue party representing less than 25% of Americans, controlling a chamber of Congress makes Congress incapable of truly representing the American values and priorities of most Americans. 

* This gross mismatch of representation also makes it impossible to hold Congress, Congress People and Congressional leadership accountable to the American people.

* That lack of accountability has made it possible for our elected officials to maintain collective relationships with lobbyists, campaign contributors and party leadership for 100% of consideration and party line voting. 

* Constituents, the public interest, has zero influence on whether policy succeeds or fails.

* Summarily, the party with the most seats in a chamber of Congress is the majority.- Just the fact that this skewed majority represents only 25% of Americans seems sufficient to prove that most Americans are unrepresented.- In reality though, that 25% is not even represented.

* The Motive for Manipulating the System- Majority representation is an illusion that gives Americans the perception that since a party is in control of the chamber, then the will of the American people is being represented.- Control of a chamber is indeed the party goal.- The party with the most seats in a chamber gives party leadership more leverage to control what policy is considered.- The perception that the will of the people is being considered is skillfully prolonged through an artful narrative designed to exaggerate the resistance from the other party.- The Consortiums of the party leaders, campaign donors, special interest, industry lobbyists and wealthy donors decide what policy to support or not support with an eye on the prize. - The Jackpot couldn’t be higher. $4 Trillion a year we send the IRS and unlimited and unquestionable borrowing. The biggest cash cow in human history. Nothing else compare.

* Representatives are told how to vote, or on rare occasions OUR representatives are allowed to "vote their conscience". 

* Acting in the interest of the American people has no relationship to a Congressperson getting re-elected.

* Representation of a Congressperson’s constituency is no longer a consideration. It’s feasible and affordable for Congress, Parties and even individual Congress People to make an Internet page or app available to at least learn the instant yea/nay position on any topic or bill. Yet none exists.

* Congress People don’t have any control. Most are good people, and the call to public service is genuine. Yet, they’re caught up in a system. The system that awarded them a job and presented opportunities to prosper. They want to prolong that.

* Unfortunately, to continue as a Congressperson, they must NOT do the job we selected them for, to provide representation.

* During most of our lifetimes Congress devolved as the jackpot doubled every decade, new generations were raised in a bubble that knew nothing about the horrors that government control “for the common good” had caused.

* Congress is a fine-tuned cottage industry where each party works with their respective consortium, that uses every possible tool to exert control. 

* The only services that parties provide are promises to fix America's problems.

* Americans cling to their party's ideals, hoping it will succeed, or at least counteract the ideals of the "other" party. The cycle continues.

* The cycle is endless because neither side fixes any problems. If party service is fixing problems, and Americans continue to vote on party ideals with no consideration of successful performance, then fixing problems would weaken a party's position. 

* Parties create problems, too, then claim to be the solution.

* Parties are content to just not appear to lose, never concerned with winning. 

* Parties perpetuate the thinking that a vote for our party is a vote against the evil party.

* There are extreme factions of each party. The extreme red and blue associates are vocal and earn the most focus from corporate news. Their affect and rancor are further fueled on social media.

* Conflict between the vocal extremes has been seemingly detrimental to American society.

* Ideals gleaned from successful efforts in the 19th and 20th century to divide people by any opposing label possible are indeed influencing Americans who have no knowledge of the misery, hopelessness and death that socialism and communism have caused.

* In theory and on the surface, collective societies seem perfect. The mindset though, makes it possible for good people to do terrible things in the name of the common good. 

* The perception caused by extremes negatively labeling the "other side" makes it seem as though the other half of Americans are evil people. Nothing could be further from the truth.

* Most Americans are good people, just trying to live their best lives and loving each other and doing the best for their communities.

* It's clear that American values transcend party labels and that over half of Americans want a change to a truly representative Congress and government that serves most Americans, while preserving the rights of the few.

* Party labels have no relevance for the American People since none of us are truly being represented.

* Parties claim to represent some broad ideas of big government for the people versus a smaller government protecting our rights to succeed or fail on our own. That's what Americans hang their red or blue hats on. Reality proves otherwise.

* The only relevance that party labels have is to guarantee each party's consortium is near equal in strength by barring any competition and maintaining the perception that Congress is working for the will of the people because we chose Congress People by label.  

* The red or blue candidates that we send to Congress participate as colorful pawns that vote the party line. It's on the record and in the news for all to see.

* If the Republican Party stands for smaller government and fiscal responsibility, then it's the biggest failure of any association in human history. A government that establishes laws that obliges citizens to enrich the treasury by nearly $4 Trillion a yea without protecting expenditure with an innovative, fine-tuned budget, is neither small nor responsible.

* If the Democratic Party stands for progress by extending more government services, then why are there a record 43 million Americans living under the poverty line in underserved communities across the land? Why are millions of children going to bed hungry every night? Why is this party so intent on casually indebting future generations for Trillions of dollars? 

* The number of impoverished people increases each year as the population grows by native birth and ungoverned immigration.

* The ONLY obstacle for America to move forward and cure problems is a functional Congress.

* We can overcome that barrier by attaching real meaning to any red or blue Congressional candidate's message.

* Since the ideals behind party labels are hollow promises, then what harm could it do to claim association with one or the other? 

* A collective campaign like the one we're proposing here could set a standard that Congressional candidates could commit to and demonstrate their commitment to taking Congress back and give us true representation.

* A majority of red or blue Congress People must be replaced with Americans who will commit to the "affordable priorities" of most Americans, while championing the rights of the few.

* Replacing Congress People with humble public servants dedicated to representing Americans and American values will make Congress work for us.

* The effort can all be done within the current structure and rules if most Americans take into consideration the real intent of a Congressional candidate's request to serve us. Are they going to Washington DC to fill a seat, parrot their party's narrative and vote party line? Or are they going there committed to a standard that we set before each Congressional election cycle? Will they represent us?

The two party system is a 19th century relic that needs a 21st century retrofit that gives party labels real meaning. The infamous sounding, "if you like your party, you can keep your party" will hopefully age well. Perhaps that hope can extend to a red and blue party with slightly different ideals about how to progress the "affordable priorities" of most Americans, preserve equality of the few and perpetuate American values into policy that helps States succeed and all Americans prosper.

A final question remains that may determine what speed we proceed. Rampart Caucus is proposing a plan that will eventually arrive at a Congress that represents most Americans. How impatient have the American people become? Can we wait for an eventual solution? Or, will the rallying voice of American dissatisfaction call for an immediate no confidence overhaul of the US Congress?

Time will tell.

If you've read this far and you're still not convinced that voting by a red or blue party label is a pointless act, then feel free to cast your vote for a hollow and decaying ideal perpetuated by the system. Now and always your opinion will be valued by the majority.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rampartcaucus.substack.com

In March 2021 I decided for my own mental health to start writing about ideas that have been dammed up inside my head for over 15 years. As a Father, Husband, Army Vet and Programmer I need to vent!

In 2005 I registered NowEnoughsEnough.com and AllUpToUs.com. As a full-time web app developer I intended to publish websites identifying social and political problems, then find solutions to cure them. Those domains are still on the back burner. It was a strange time. I was trying out my hand organizing taxicab drivers in Las Vegas, by going to the Taxicab Authority and Nevada Transportation Authority to complain about drivers inability to earn minimum wage during most shifts. As can be imagined, getting that group organized was difficult. There were many immigrants and most drivers were scared to complain for fear of being fired. Even so, it felt right to help. Even when I was complaining to the United Steelworkers, that negotiated away the right to minimum wage for about 800 drivers at three companies. Often, I found myself in a room where everyone there hated me, while I told the truth about how fucked up they are.

The final room was Judge Jackie Glasses’ 8th District court two weeks before she tried the OJ Simpson robbery case. Where, as one of the 26 opposing lawyers representing each Strip Casino corporation and Limo company told to the clerk while checking in, “I’m here for Hynes versus reality”. When it was time, Judge Glass asked me if I had anything to say, expecting to simply proceed with my argument, I said, “No, your honor”. She pointed to the seats full of lawyers on the other side and said, “Look what you’ve done, Mr. Hynes”, then threw me out on my ear. Almost literally. Because I was in such shock I could only carry myself to the closest seat in the gallery. The judge told the bailiff to tell me to leave.

I’m now ten years from retirement as a Senior Cloud Programmer and have committed to spending my days finding a way to give my young kids a country that works the way that it was originally intended, through true representation in Congress.

I registered the Middle Party as a Nevada non-profit, because I believed that organizing another party that represented most Americans was the likely path to success.

Some forty articles and 3200 Tweets @MiddlePartyUS later it became clear that the problem and the solution were a lot simpler than I expected. Now comes Rampart Caucus, instead.

I like lists to talk things through, so here goes.

Lessons Learned:

* Neither the blue or red party represents most Americans. Gallup says in an on-going poll since 2008 that each represents around 26% of voters. Most people are unaffiliated. Gallup Poll >

* With only a red or blue label to choose from, voters select their label and Congress People go to Congress and vote collectively by label. The party with the most seats in each chamber is called the majority, despite #1.

* There are hundreds of “bridging organizations” that bring Americans together to show them American values transcend a red or blue label.

* Being organized as a political party made approaching these other nonprofits awkward. Even though the Middle Party claimed to want to represent the majority of Americans who have been silent and forgotten, it was difficult to sell as a partisan campaign.

* On top of that, bridging organizations largely were geared toward getting red and blue Americans to talk and learn that American values do create common ground. The bridge concept wasn’t working for me. Red and Blue is the known minority and building a bridge ignores the middle.

* Examining the failure of third party efforts in the past revealed to me that third parties were either too extreme left or right to gain enough support, two narrow in their goals, or completely lacked a coherent message. So, my focus then became to create a message, a standard, a party-style platform that would reasonably represent the priorities of the Majority. The idea was to set the standard first as an additional consideration for voters, and not to wait for Congress People to be elected, then later expect them to do anything other than vote party line.

* I intentionally stopped using words like, conservative, silent majority, majority, third party, right of center.

* I decided that the Middle Party wouldn’t endorse any candidates until there was majority support. So, continuing as a party lost value.

* I intentionally avoided reacting with groups that endorsed ambiguous messages from Black Lives Matter, UBI and Ranked Choice Voting. I learned that it’s difficult to say the right thing when discussing race. I learned that broad-based UBI is unaffordable, but direct payments make sense when they reduce administrative overhead of the government, like Social Security payments. I’ll leave RCV to other advocates.

* I tried to make a case in favor of the climate crisis, not wanting to be on the wrong side of that issue. I studied it hard, but couldn’t find compelling science to support temperature changes by anything but the ever changing cycles of the Sun. The CO2 volumes are tiny in comparison to the massive atmosphere. Just 0.00042 of the atmosphere, up 0.00014 since the 1800s. The steady increases in volume worked, until they didn’t for 14 years. Studies of Sun cycles could demonstrate an influence on temperatures.

* I decided to put the Middle Party on hold and organize as nonpartisan Rampart Caucus to do two things that I’m exceptional at, digital publishing and app development. The idea was simply to create a party-style platform outlining a couple of clearly “affordable priorities”—BUDGET INNOVATION & MINIMIZING POVERTY. Then start a list (I love lists) “Visions of what could be” that could be socialized. The app would support polling to learn the yea/nay position from verified voters.

* After the mission of Hope from bridging org conversations, there seems to be a disconnect. Like some of the information about what we see as common ground may have been undocumented. And that further inspiration, a vision of the way that things could be, and something to drum up enthusiasm was needed to mobilize the middle. It’s the H plus I.V.E., Hope, Inspiration, Vision and Enthusiasm that Rampart Caucus will strive to fulfill.

* The problem is simple, Congress People no longer truly represent their constituents. Party labels have doomed us to a perpetual cycle that only the American people can cure.

* How do we fix it? By publishing a party-style platform that reasonably outlines the affordable priorities of most Americans. That standard will be an additional consideration of whether a Congressional candidate will go to Congress to represent most of us, or if they’ll go there to represent a red or blue label only. Candidates from red, blue, minor or independents will endorse the Real American Majority Platform—RAMP and present a plan. The endorsement will give voters another factor to consider, and their plan to succeed with RAMP priorities will set them apart from other candidates.

* The result of a Congressional majority that doesn’t represent most Americans has resulted in a complete absence of accountability. Since the end of 1999 Congress has spent $81 Trillion with nothing to show from it. It has funded a highly inefficient monolith and compiled a nearly $29 Trillion debt.

* Gridlock in Congress has stopped basic ideas from even being considered when innovation and ingenuity is what the American people want and deserve for the massive amount of $4 Trillion we send every year.

* The Gaslighting is ever present and it’s working. Americans believe the hype and are distracted from what’s going on in Congress. Politically active red and blue Americans believe the other side is evil, and that losing the chamber majority is the end of civilization.

* I believed, and said aloud, that everything is alright and that nothing that occurs really matters. We just have to replace the Congress People. That was until the government surrendered military control of Afghanistan before getting all Americans and allies out. I was sick about it and was inconsolable after 13 troops were killed on a mission to make up for the blunder. An unforgivable choice.

* It seems that most Americans are fed up with the way the country is being governed.

I suggest that Rampart Caucus, or any other effort to give American voters an additional factor to consider on top of a red or blue party label, will help move the country forward one election at a time and perhaps give our children a fully representative government.

I really believe that we can get it all done by leveraging the Internet available to us and with no dollars. Zero Dollars versus Billions of Dollars usually isn’t a good bet. I’m always up for an overwhelming challenge. Are you? Spend two minutes to tell a friend that we’re trying to set an additional standard to elect Congress people no matter what party. If you’re like me, and I don’t wish that on anyone, you won’t be able to shut up about it.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rampartcaucus.substack.com